Blue Lions post 22-3 record in 1993

(Continued from last week.)

In the late game on March 13, 1993, Washington C.H. nailed down a regional tournament appearance with a tough 62-53 win over Gallipolis. The Lions led by one at the end of the first quarter, but Gallipolis led by three at halftime.

The score was tied at 44-all, after three quarters. The Blue Lions outscored the Blue Devils, 18-9 in the final quarter to grab the win.

Coach Gary Shaffer’s crew came close to having all five men in double figures, as Harris and Shaffer had 17 each, Robertson hit for 10, and Sword and Wall put up nine each.

The Lions would advance to meet rugged Cambridge, with their All-State scoring machine, Geno Ford, the No. 2 all-time high school scorer in Ohio. His lowest point total this season was 27 points.

Ford, who was listed at 5’ 9,” and probably was not that tall, was averaging 35.9 points per game as well as 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

His coach was his father, Gene Ford. Geno was considered a cinch to be named “Mr. Basketball” in Ohio.

Miami Trace put up a terrific game against Whitehall, and led, 29-16, at halftime. But Whitehall came back and basically won the game in the final quarter, when they outscored the Panthers, 19-11, eventually winning by a score of 50-49. Terrell Baker ended his career at Miami Trace by totaling 24 points. Big Samaki Walker scored 21 for Whitehall. It was anybody’s game, and the Panthers certainly had nothing to be ashamed of.

Washington pulled off an amazing 58-57 overtime win over favored Cambridge to move into the regional finals. Travis Robertson banked a 42-footer off the glass at the buzzer, to give the Lions a 3–2 advantage in the overtime period, and the win.

Robertson scored only 11 points in the game, but that included the biggest three points of his high school career.

Geno Ford was held to his lowest total of the season, 26 points, on 10 of 23 shooting. The Blue Lions advanced to meet Whitehall. The winner would go to the state tournament.

Whitehall turned in a nearly perfect first half, blasting out to a 39-23 lead at halftime. The Rams hit on an amazing 16 of 20 field goal attempts in the first half for 70 percent, along with 8 of 9 free throw attempts (89%).

The Lions fought valiantly, and did manage to stage a comeback of sorts in the second half, but it was not enough.

The Rams came out on top, 67-52, and would advance to the state tournament.

The Lions came home with a 22-3 record for the season, the best record in the history of the school.

The Lions collapsed around 6’ 9” Samaki Walker, and held him to a total of 14 points, one of his lows for the season. But Walker pulled down 16 rebounds, had five assists and blocked three shots.

When Walker was double-teamed, which was most of the time, he passed off to teammate Charles Alston, who fired from the corner.

Alson rolled up 26 points. Walker’s presence in the middle changed the complexion of the game completely.

When the All-State selections were announced, Terrell Baker of Miami Trace was selected second team All-State. He was District 14 Player of the Year.

Washington’s Travis Robertson was Special Mention All-State and Trace’s Jason King was Honorable Mention, along with Casey Chroust, of Wilmington, Jamie Thompson, of Hillsboro, and Richie Highley, of McClain.

Coach Gary Shaffer, in his 26th year of coaching at Washington, was named District 14 Division II Coach of the Year. In his 26 years, Shaffer had compiled a record of 402 wins and 168 losses, an enviable mark.

Geno Ford of Cambridge was the first player selected to the All-State team, and thus named, “Mr. Basketball” for the state of Ohio.

Whitehall’s Samaki Walker was the second player named.

Miami Trace High School announced that Terrell Baker had scored about 1,200 points in three years, to rank as the number two all-time scoring leader for the school, although he was nearly 100 points below the all-time scoring leader, Art Schlichter.

Also, Jason King now ranked as the number three scorer. King was sorting through offers for a scholarship to play college football.

Another basketball season was history.

(Continued next week.)

Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.